BTech to be 4-year course for students admitted in 2013-14: UGC

New Delhi: University Grant Commission (UGC) on Sunday asked Delhi University to continue with the four-year BTech programme only for the students admitted during the academic year 2013-14, putting an end to uncertainty following rollback of the controversial Four-Year Undergraduate Programme (FYUP).

The UGC also asked DU to ensure that colleges under it, which admitted students to the FYUP, obtain approval from regulatory bodies such as UGC itself and AICTE to ensure that students under FYUP are not put to any disadvantage.

Over 2,500 students are enrolled in six BTech programmes - Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Polymer Science, Instrumentation and Electronics and Psychological Science. They have been protesting ever since the rollback of FYUP.

UGC, in a statement, said, "4-year BTech Programmes in Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Instrumentation Electronics and Polymer Science (where such students were admitted in the colleges under Delhi University) and which are covered under section 22 of the UGC Act, with respect to B.Tech, may continue in these programmes only for the students already admitted for academic year 2013-14."

The Commission was, however, silent on the Psychological Science course. This programme, also with the Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS) programme, about which the commission also remained silent, are likely to be converted into three- year courses, officials said.

The directive of UGC is in line with the recommendation of its Standing Committee, which has suggested that the programme should continue in the four-year format for the students already admitted so that there is no "prejudice" caused to their interest.

The Standing Committee had on June 23 discussed the steps for transition from FYUP to a three-year programme.

The statement said that "the colleges under Delhi University, which admitted students in academic year 2013-14 for these programmes may, wherever required, obtain appropriate approval of the regulatory bodies such as UGC and AICTE and ensure that students admitted in these programmes are not put to any disadvantage".

Scores of B.Tech and BMS students of Delhi University staged a protest this morning outside the residence of Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, demanding that their four-year courses should not be scrapped.

Students also threatened that if the varsity does not take care of their interest, they are ready to move court.

Under pressure from UGC to act on its directive, DU has scrapped its FYUP and reverted to the previous three-year structure.